The Double Muzio Gambit

 

     In the Muzio Gambit white sacrifices a Knight for a large lead in development and attacking chances. 

     The opening was originally analyzed in the late 1600s, but the first recorded game was by a Neapolitan player named Geronimo Cascio that was published in 1634. The name Muzio Gambit originated in the early 1800s when it was incorrectly named by the English chess writer Jacob Sarratt in his translation of an Italian work. In the gambit as played by the then in effect Italian rules castling was accomplished by placing the King on h1 and Rook on f1. This resulted in an even stronger attack because checks by the Queen or Bishop on the a7-g1 diagonal are no longer available as a defense. 

     The opening reached its peak popularity in the mid-1800s in what was known as the Romantic Era. Those were the days when sacrifices and early attacks were considered the only correct way to play. 

     When players like Louis Paulsen and Wilhelm Steinitz came along with their newfangled defensive play the Muzio’s popularity declined. 

     Today we are going to take a look at the Double Muzio which, according to GM Raymond Keener, is the best version of the Muzio. It is very dangerous against an unprepared opponent, but its soundness has been called into question. 

 

ChessBase

Frank Marshall–Charles Moreau1–0C37Monte Carlo1902ShashChess 32

Double Muzio Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.f3 g5 4.c4 g4 5.0-0 White offers a N in the hopes of exploiting black's weakness on the f-file and launching an attack on black’s King. The Muzio continues gxf3 6.xf3 f6 This is thematic starting position in the Muzio. Black's move is definitely best because it not only blocks the f-file but also impedes the formation of white P-center with d4. 7.e5 This is the most logical. White sacrifices another P to open up new lines for attack. A more reserved continuation is the wimpy 7.d3 7.d3 c6 8.xf4 d6 9.c3 g7 10.ae1 g4 11.f2 0-0-0 Black stands well. Wojdyla,A (1782)-Panjer,S (2140) Ceske Budejovice 2022 7.c3 A seemingly reasonable attempt to force d4, but it also offers white little. d6 8.d4 h6 9.a3 e7 10.e5 dxe5 11.dxe5 g6 Here, too, black stands very well. Arribas Lopez,A (2559)-Aguera Naredo,J (2358) Linares 2015 7...xe5 Now white has a choice. He can play the still wimpy 8.d3 or he can do what the he-men of old did and sacrifice another piece by playing the Double Muzio Gambit. 8.xf7+ This is the Double Muzio Gambit which, according to GM Raymond Keene, is the best version of the Muzio. It is very dangerous against an unprepared opponent, but its soundness has been called into question. The SashChess 32 engine evaluates it as being only very slightly inferior to the more usual 8.d3, but in either case black’s position is evaluated to be better by about a P and a half. 8.d3 The modern way. h6 9.c3 e7 10.d2 bc6 11.ae1 f5 12.d5 d8 An interesting position. White almost always plays 13.Bc3 and it has brought great success. However, engine highly disapprove of that move evaluating it as leaving black with a winning position. Instead, the recommended move is 13.Qe2, but the position remains in black's favor by about 3/4 of a P. 8.c3 d4+ 9.h1 xc4 10.d3 e6 11.xf4 Black's position remains quite solid. De Boer, A (1710)-Lebon,J (2070) Bethune 2001 8.b3 This old move is not very effective either. d5 9.xd5 e7 10.c4 bc6 11.c3 f5 12.d4 e4 Black has an excellent position. Tartakower,S-Leonhardt,P Vienna 1908 13.f2 e6 14.xf4 0-0-0 15.d2 g6 16.f3 g8 17.ad1 d5 18.h4 g4 19.xd5 xd5 20.c4 h5 21.g3 d6 22.d5 xh4 Tartakower,S-Leonhardt,P Vienna 1908 ½-½ (33) 8...d8 8...xf7 9.d4 xd4+ Scottish GM John Shaw sharply criticizes this because it grabs a meaningless Pawn, opens another line for ehite's attack and makes the black Q vulnerable on the dark squares,. Engines recommend 9...Qf4 and GM Neil McDonald suggests that 9...Qf5 may be the only playable move. 10.e3 f6 11.xf4 British correspondence GM Peter Millican asserts that the position is objectively equal. Engines agree. e8 12.c3! c6 13.d5± g6 14.ae1+ e7? 15.d6 d8 16.f8+ xf8 17.xc7# Black resigned. Shirov,A (2500)-Lapinski,J (2200) Daugavpils 1990 9.d4 xd4+ 10.h1 h6 11.d2 Slightly better would have been 11.Nc3 g7 Excellent...the Q is well placed here. 11...xb2 is much too greedy and white would be winning after 12.c3 xc2 13.xh8 12.b3 c6 12...xb2 This was wrong last move and it's still wrong. 13.c3 Traps the Q and after xa1 14.xa1 the R falls, too. 13.c3 e5 14.d5 d6 15.d1 White threat to take advantage of the pin cand capture on e5 can be easilt dealt with. d7 16.a4 Hoping to eliminated the B and again threaten to tak on e5. c6 This is worth a couple of question marks because the advantage swings to white. 16...f3 Threatens mate, so... 17.g3 e7 White has no satisfactory relpy to this. 18.xe5 18.b3 b5 19.xb5 b8 20.a3 f2 21.g2 f8 22.xe5 xe5 23.c4 xb5 18...dxe5 19.xd7+ c8 and wins. 17.xc6 bxc6 Marginally better was 17...Ke7, but white would still have a decisive advantage. 18.xe5 g4 18...xe5 19.xe5 and the R goes off to the side of the board. 19.a3 d7 Marshall disdains the gain of more material and goes for the attack. 20.c4 20.xh8 f3 21.g1 f8 22.xh7+ c8 23.gxf3 xf3+ 24.g2 e3 25.d3 White is winning. 20...f3 This allows a mate in 13(!), but he was lost in any case. 20...g7 meets with a pretty refutation. 21.xd6+ cxd6 22.xd6+ e8 23.xc6+ f7 24.d6+ g6 25.e4+ h5 26.h3 g5 27.g4+ fxg3 28.f3+ h6 29.f7+ g6 30.xg5 21.xd6+ White mates. cxd6 22.xd6+ c8 23.xc6+ d8 24.d1+ e7 25.d6+ e8 26.e1+ f7 27.e5+ e8 28.g6+ f7 29.xh8# 1–0

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Flogging Fischer

     The 1st Canadian Open was held in Montreal from August 25th through September 2nd, 1956, and William Lombardy and Larry Evans shared first place. The top Canadians were Povilas Vaitonis and Lionel Jotner who shared third place with James T. Sherwin, Edmar Mednis and Atillio DiCamillo. 

     A young Brooklyn player by the name of Bobby Fischer, a promising junior facing one of his first real tests against master opposition, was also playing. 

     He won from G. Lepine, Jr., J.C. Boyer, V. Judzentavicius, W.A. Walz, C. Sharp and Sidney Bernstein. He drew with H. Matthai and Frank Anderson. He suffered losses against 27th placed Robert Sobel (the featured game) and Maurice Fox. 

 

     A short time after this event, the 13-year old Fischer played in the 1956 Rosenwald tournament (which later became the official U.S. Championship event) where he tied for 8th (out of 12) with Herbert Seidman with a score of 4.5-6.5. This was the tournament where Fischer played the Game of the Century when he defeated Donald Byrnem who tied for places 5-7 with a 5.5-5.5 score. Samuel Reshevsjy won the tournament two full points ahead of Arthur Bisguier. 

     Fischer’s opponent in the following game was Robert Sobel who was Pennsylvania State Champion in 1953. He born in Philadelphia in 1934. He retired from a job doing inventory management for the Navy. As far as I could determine Sobol is still living and makes his home in Virginia.

 

ChessBase

Robert Sobel–Robert Fischer1–0A49Canadian Open, Montreal226.08.1956ShashChess 32

Sicilian Dragon 1.d4 f6 2.f3 g6 3.g3 g7 4.g2 0-0 5.0-0 d6 6.c3 c5 7.e4 cxd4 8.xd4 c6 9.de2 d7 10.b3 A never before seen move, but not a bad idea...white opposes black's Dragon Bishop. Other moves are 10.h3, 10.Nd5 and 10.Bg5 c8 11.b2 h3 12.f3 xg2 13.xg2 d5 14.exd5 d8 15.c1 b4 Black has a slightly more active position, but it's doubtful tht he will be able to make much out of it. 16.a3 bxd5 17.xd5 xd5 18.xg7 xg7 19.c4 e6 20.b2+ 20.cxd5 is less favorable. xe2+ 21.f2 e5 22.e1 22.d2 xd5 23.xd5 xd5 and black is a P uo. 22...xd5 23.xe5+ xe5 24.d1 Here, too, black is a P up, but making progress will be very difficult, if not impossible. 20...f6 21.f4 So far the game has been rather colorless and it seems to be heading for a draw after 21...Qd6 or 21.Qd7, but Fischer's next move results in him making a chink in his position which Sobol manages to exploit. f5 22.d5 22.ae1 is a stronger continuation. After f8 23.f2 23.d5 xd5 24.h8# 23...g5 24.e5 h6 25.fe2 d7 26.c1 Black is under considerable pressure, but he can probably hold on. 22...e6 This loses! 22...e5 was absolutely essential. 23.g4 g5 24.h4 xh4 is identical to the position in the game but now 25.Rh1 is met by 25.h1 25.xe5 This is the correct move and it results in fully equal chances after 25...Re8 25...g5 and because the P is on e5 and not e6 the R sac on h7 loses and so in this position it is black who stands better. 26.xh7+ This loses. His best try was 26.Rad1 xh7 27.h1+ g7 and there is no followup so black wins. 23.g4 Sobol finishes the game with several hammer blows. g5 24.h4 The opening of the h-file will prove fatal to black, but he has little choice. xh4 24...h6 25.g5 h5 26.xf6+ g8 27.e7+ f8 28.ad1 xh4 29.xd8+ xd8 30.xg6+ hxg6 31.xd8+ mates in 7. g7 32.f6+ h7 33.d1 xg5+ 34.xg5 g7 35.e5+ f6 36.d7+ h6 37.xf6 e5 38.h4# 25.h1 g5 26.xh7+ f8 26...xh7 27.xf6+ g7 28.e4+ d4 29.xg5 wins 27.xf6 Fischer resigned. Impressive and very precise play by Sobol. 27.xf6 xf6 28.xf6 e7 28...d3 29.h8+ g7 30.xa8 xf6 29.g5 Black simply does not have enough compensation for the piece. Some examples... d3 29...d2+ 30.g3 ad8 31.e1 8d4 32.g8+ f8 33.h8 2d3 34.f6+ e7 35.e8+ d6 36.c8 xb3 37.c5+ e7 38.e8# 30.g4 xb3 31.e5 d6 31...c8 32.d1 xc4 33.xg6+ e8 34.h8# 32.xf7+ c5 33.h8 xh8 34.xh8 xc4 35.xg6 b5 36.f8 e3 37.g6 wins 1–0

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Battle Between Unknowns

     Looking out my front window this morning I saw a plastic water bottle sitting at the end of my driveway that someone had thoughtlessly left. After picking it up and walking back up the driveway I almost stepped on a small bird, but it hopped 5-6 feet away. 

     Walking up to it elicited no response other than it looking up at me. I thought it was injured, but then I heard loud squawking behind me and sitting on the porch railing was momma robin. Daddy robin was nearby also, sitting in the grass.

     After I backed off momma swooped down and chased her baby up the driveway...it only flew a few inches off the ground and maybe 30 feet before landing in the grass. 

     I had witnessed a baby robin that was just learning to fly! Robins are one of the earliest birds to nest and their breeding season usually begins in March. They start laying their eggs between mid-April and mid-August. Juvenile robins leave the nest between 14 and 16 days after hatching. AT that time they “fledge.” At that time it’s wings and tail may be short and it may not be a great flyer, but it can walk, hop, or flutter. 

     It has left the nest, though its parents may be nearby, taking good care of it. After leaving the nest, they will stay nearby with their parents for up to three weeks. 

     I can’t remember 1950 because I was only five, but it was the year the Korean War began when North Korean Communist forces invade South Korea. The war lasted three years and I have vague recollections of my sister’s boyfriend sitting in our living room after having been discharged from the Army due to wounds he received in Korea. 

     In the chess world two chessplayers were lost in 1950. Former Manhattan Chess Club president and chess patro Maurice Wertheim died at the age of 64. He was former president of n.And, former USSR Champion Boris Velinsky died in Moscow at the age of 62. 

     It was the year that the International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF) was formed. In July, FIDE awarded its first Grandmaster title to 27 players: Bernstein, Boleslavsky, Bondarevsky, Botvinnik, Bronstein, Duras, Euwe, Fine, Flohr, Gruenfeld, Keres, Kostic, Kotov, Levenfish, Lilienthal, Maroczy, Mieses, Najdorf, Ragozin, Reshevsky, Saemisch, Smyslov, Stahlberg, Szabo, Tartakower, and Vidmar. 

     They also awarded theInternational Master title to 94 players and International Women Master to 17 players. 

     In January, Liudmila Rudenko won the 2nd Women's World Championship, held in Moscow. 

     On the international tournament scene Laszlo Szabo of Hungary won the annula Hastings 1949/50 Christmas tournament. The U.S. etry, 17-year old Larry Evans finished 4th with a +3 -2 =4. Not bad! Second place was taken by Nicolas Rossolimo and third by Max Euwe. Evans to losses were to Szabo and Rossolimo and he drew with Euwe. 

     Samuel Reshevsky was invited to the Candidates’ tournament in Budapest, but the State Department wouldn’t let Americans travel to Hungary. David Bronstein and Isaac Boleslavsky tied for first and Bronstein won playoff.

     The following year Bronstein tied Botvinnik in the World Championship match and so Botvinnik retained his title. Bronstein needed only one point from the last two games to become world champion. Bronstein lost both of those games. 

     Was he forced to lose? In 1950, he told Bobby Fischer that he was. In the book of his best games he wrote that he “was subjected to strong psychological pressure from various origins and it was entirely up to me to yield to that pressure or not.” For his sake it was probably a good idea that he did. 

     In 1950, the Yugoslav team (Gligoric, Pirc, Trifunovic, Rabar, Vidmar junior, Puc) won the Dubrovnik Olympiad. The U.S. team (Samuel Reshevsky, Herman Steiner, I.A, Horowitz, George Shainswit, George Kramer and Larry Evans) finished fourth. 

     In December Miguel Najdorf won the Amsterdam international. Ahead of Samuel Reshevsky. 

     On the home front, Arthur Bisguier won the U.S. Open, held in Detroit. The U.S. Champions was Herman Steiner who won the title in 1948 and held it until 1951 when Larry Evans beat out Samuel Reshevsky. There were no tournaments in ‘49 and ‘50. 

     James B. Cross won the 1950 US Junior championship. It was also the year the first USCF rating list appeared. There were 2306 rated players, Fine was #1 at 2817 and Reshevsky was #2 at 2770. 

     St. Louis, Missouri stands out in my memory because my mother and her sister grew up in an orphanage there in the 19-teens and she often spoke of those days. 

     The city has a rich chess history. Did you know the first ever World Championship match between Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort was hosted in three cities: New York City, St. Louis and New Orleans? 

     One of the most prominent names in St. Louis chess was Robert Steinmeyer (1922-1988) who dominated St. Louis Chess from the 1940s through the 1970s. He competed in the U.S. Championship from 1962-1964. He eventually abandoned chess for bridge in the late ‘70s. 

     The following game was played in one of those long forgotten tournaments by unknowns. Well, not entirely unknown because I remember the name of William H. C. Newberry from my early days of playing postal chess with the Correspondence Chess League of America. 

     Both Newberry and his opponent, St. Louis veteran, Harry A. Lew, were Class A rated players. In those days Class A players were rated between 1900 and 2099. Newberry was rated 1903 and Lew was rated 1999.

     The game was played in the 1950 St. Louis District Championship which was won for the seventh time by Steinmeyer who wen undefeated with five wins and four draws. 

     Tied for second, a half point behind, were veterans C. M. Burton and Lewis W. Haller. A half point behind them were B. J. Roesch and Newberry while Lew finished sixth with 5.5-3.5.

     Missouri Champion John Ragan and James Cook were both entered, but they were forced to withdraw when the U.S. Army snagged them in the draft. There’s an interesting history of the draft HERE.

     In 1964 my father forwadred a letter to me from the local draft board informing me that I had beem drafted. I wrote them back telling them I was not going to report...I was with the 2nd Battalin, 2nd Marines and taking part in Operation Steel Pike. 

ChessBase

William H. C. Newberry–Harry A. Lew0–1E21St. Louis District Championship1950ShashChess 32

Nimzo-Indian 1.d4 f6 2.c4 e6 3.c3 b4 This was a favorite of Lew because he believed it was really "an offense" and it gives black attacking chances. 4.a3 At the time this the Saemisch Variation, was thought to be one of the best ways to get rid of the pin because it was believed that it might become troublesome to white. Nowadays the preference is for 4.Qc2 or 4.e3 xc3+ 5.bxc3 e4 Far more popular is 5...c5, but statistically the results are almost the same as for the move played. 6.c2 f5 7.f3 c5 Usual is 7... b6, but the text seems to be prefectly satisfactory. 8.d5 8.e3 a5 9.b2 b6 10.d3 b7 11.0-0 is equal. Korolev,A-Fedorov,N Gagarin 2009 8...0-0 8...f6 9.b2 e5 10.d2 xd2 11.xd2 d6 12.a4 d7 Black is better. Abramov,V (2337)-Bogdanov,A (2079) St Petersburg 2007 9.g3 a5 10.d2 d6 Black has emerged from the opening quite well as he has stymied white's ambitions in the center and on the Q-side while maintaining the possibility of attacking on the K-side for himself. 11.g2 11.dxe6 is not advisable because after xe6 12.g5 12.e3 c6 13.d3 a6 white must avoid 14.xe4 fxe4 15.xe4 xc4 16.xc4 xc4 17.g1 e5 and white is in serious trouble. 12...xc4 13.xe4 fxe4 14.xe4 d5 with the better position. 11...d7 11...e5 was better because white would remained tied up. Now white can play 12.dxe6 with the possibility of getting some play in the center. 12.a4 12.dxe6 Now that the B is on b2 this is now playable. xe6 13.g5 xc4 14.xe4 d7 14...h6 15.xb7 15.xf5 White is actually winning. h6 16.e6+ f7 16...xe6 17.h7# 17.h7+ f8 18.xc4 hxg5 19.h8+ e7 20.xa8 12...e5 Back on track. 13.0-0 xd2 14.xd2 e8 15.fb1 c7 The Q has done its job on a5 and now seeks opportunities elsewhere. 16.b2 d7 The beginning of a very profitable trip! 17.b1 b8 18.a5 g6 Better was 18... e4 which would have split white's position. 19.f4 19.e4 was the correct counter in the center because than after f4 19...fxe4 akso results in equality after 20.xe4 xe4 21.xe4 h6 Prevents Ng5-e6. This position is also equal. 20.h3 the position is equal. 19...e4 Equally good was 19.. .exf4 20.f1 f6 21.e3 f7 22.h3 h5 Usually Ns on the a- or h-file are not well placed, but we will see that the N has some possibilities from here. 23.c2 e7 24.e3 f6 25.e1 e7 26.a3 a6 This preventing Nb5, but at the same time it allows white to create some Q-side play. The immediate 26...Be8 was more precise. 27.ab1 e8 Black has a plan...he is going to open up the g-file and so moves the B out of the way. 28.b6 With the obvious threat of Rxa6. Lew was well aware of the possibility. g5 By offering the b-Pawn Lew initiates a K-side attack. The idea isn't quite sound IF white replies correctly. 29.xa6 White has a slight advantage after this, but that's noit to say that black's attack is without venom. gxf4 30.exf4 g7 31.h1 Suspecting lurking danger with the R opposite his K, Newberry decided to play it safe and so makes the losing move! 31.g2 Shields the K and there is no longer a way for black to make a successful K-side attack. g6 defends against every possibility and leaves white with a solid position. 32.e3 31...h6 Powerful! 32.f1 xg3 32...xg3+ would also win. 33.hxg3 xg3 34.h2 f3 35.g2+ h8 36.a7 xf4+ leaves white beaten. 33.xf5 33.ab6 is better, but not ny much! h8 34.a6 f3 35.g1 xh3 36.xb7 g3+ 37.g2 xf4 38.xb8 f3+ 39.xh3 e2+ 40.g3 f4+ 41.h4 h5# 33...f3 Black wraps up the game with an energetic finish. 34.e6+ h8 35.g2 g3+ 36.g1 xf4 37.c2 Preventing Qe3+. bxa6 38.xb8 f1+ 39.xf1 xf1# A fine performance by a couple of class players! 0–1

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Crushed By Reshevsky

     While we are in the year 1965 (see last post), let’s take a look at some of the high points of that year. 

     On television people were watching Bonanza (a sappy western), Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. (an idiotic show that did not remotely resemble the real Marine Corps in which I was serving) and The Lucy Show (silly slapstick). 

     In 1965, Apple Jacks cereal, Bar One candy bars, Bounty paper towels, Gatorade drink, Honeycomb cereal, ladies’ hair care product Nice ‘n Easy and SpaghettiOs all appeared in the marketplace for the first time. 

     The economy was good. It continued into its fifth consecutive year in what was the longest boom since the end of World War II. 

     A crass, vulgar man named Lyndon B. Johnson was president and he signed the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965. The bill required cigarette makers to print health warnings on cigarette packages about the harmful effects of smoking. Those of us who smoked in those days ignored the warnings. 

     The first U.S. combat troops, two battalions of 3,500 Marines, arrived in South Vietnam to defend the American airbase at Da Nang from Viet Cong attacks. By the end of the year, U.S. troop levels in Vietnam reached 184,300. 

     Thanks in a large part to a bungling President Johnson it turned out to be a quagmire that cost us more that 58,000 casualties, over 150,000 wounded and almost 2,000 missing. 

     To his credit, in what was probably the high point of his time in office, President Johnson did sign the Voting Rights Act into law which guaranteed African Americans the right to vote. 

     On February 13, 1965, Samuel Reshevsky won the first National Open in Las Vegas which boasted of a then record-breaking prize fund of $4500 (over $43,000 in today’s dollars). 

     Both Reshevsky and Robert Byrne yielded two draws each and were tied for with 7-1 each. They split the prize money and each got $700 (over $6.700 today), but the title was awarded to Reshevsky on tiebreaks. 

 

     Nobody knows if if Pal Benko won or lost at the gambling tables, but at the chess tables his luck was definitely bad when he made horrendous blunders in two consecutive games. Against Dr. Ariel Mengarini he overlooked a mate in a winning position and then against Paul Quillen he declined several draws by repetition and guess what? He stumbled into a mate. Rumor had that his problem was lack of sleep as the result of having spent long hours gambling. 

     In the following game Rershevsky dismantles a Class A (1800-1999) rated David C. Korts who finished with an even 4-4 score. 

ChessBase

Samuel Reshevsky–David Korts1–0C74National Open, Las Vegas1Las Vegas, NV USA08.02.1965ShashChess 32

Ruy Lopez: Deferred Steinitz 1.e4 Reshevsky rarely played 1.e4 except when he was anticipating a quick kill. Against an 1800 player that was a reasonable expectation. e5 2.f3 c6 3.b5 a6 4.a4 d6 5.c3 f5 What should this opening be called? A Deferred Steinitz or a Deferred Schliemann? I am not really sure, but this move is very sharp. Statistically, in my database it gives black better results than the musch more usual 5...Bd7 6.exf5 xf5 7.d4 e4 Black is booked up...this is his best move. 7...b5 allows white to get the advantage after 8.c2 xc2 8...e4 9.g5 d5 10.f3 e7 11.fxe4 xg5 12.h5+ g6 13.xg5 White is better. 9.xc2 f6 10.a4 White is slightly better. 8.g5 d5 8...e7 is another possibility. 9.d5 b5 10.c2 xg5 11.h5+ g6 12.xg5 ce7 Mista,A (2561)-Krasenkow,M (2608) Germany 2011 Black has a position similar to the one in the note to move 7. 9.f3 9.c4 dxc4 10.xc6+ bxc6 11.a4 d7 12.c3 Chances are equal. Shamkovich, L-Shianovsky,V Baku 1961 9.h3 f6 10.f4 g4 11.c2 d6 12.e3 Black stands well. Koepke,E (2271)-Osmanodja,F (2348) Germany GER 2018 9.xc6+ bxc6 10.f3 exf3 11.xf3 h6 12.e3+ The chances are equal. Malofeev, A (2233)-Silivanov,S (2325) St Petersburg 2009 9...e7 Black should play 9...h6 10.fxe4 hxg5 11.exf5 d6 with about equal chances. 9...exf3 turns out badly after 10.0-0 g4 11.xf3 f6 12.h3 xf3 13.xf3 and the position of black's K is rather precarious. 10.fxe4 White is better. dxe4 After this black;s position rapidly deteriorates. 10...xg5 is a better defense. 11.h5+ g6 12.xg5 dxe4 13.0-0 with a position similar to those previously mentioned, but here white is clearly better. f6 14.e5+ e7 15.xe7+ xe7 11.0-0 It's clear that black is facing some serious difficulties. His K is stuck in the center and danger is lurking on the f- and e-files. h6 11...xg5 12.xf5 xc1 13.xc1 b5 14.c2 is also very precarious for black. 12.d5 A surprising lapse by Reshevsky! 12.h5+ g6 13.h3 d6 14.e6 f5 15.d5 and white has an overwhelming positional advantage. 12...xg5 12...b5 This is much more tenacious. 13.h5+ g6 14.h3 xg5 14...bxa4 leads to a slaughter. 15.e6 c5+ 16.h1 d7 17.dxc6 xc6 18.xg7+ d8 19.g5+ e7 20.d1+ 15.e6+ e7 16.xg5 bxa4 17.xe7 d7 17...xe7 18.c6+ wins 18.c5+ xe6 19.dxe6 f5 and black has nery nearly equalized. 13.dxc6 Once again 13.Qh5+ was better, but even after the text white has a significant advantage. b5 Threatens to win with .. .Bxc1. 14.xd8+ 14.h5+ is still playable, but it is now less effective than had it been played earlier. For example... g6 15.xg5 xg5 16.xg5 bxa4 and with the reduced material black can be considered to have equalized. 14...xd8 15.xh6 gxh6 Only lightly better would have been 15...Bg6 16.xf5+- bxa4 17.d2 Reshevsky has avoided any serious calculating of variations and has played for what amounts to an easily won ending. e3 18.e5+ e7 19.c4 Maintaining the pin on the B and repositioning the N is the easiest way to victory. Much less strong is 19.xe3 0-0-0± 20.xe7 White is better, but double R endings can be difficult to play. xd2 19...f8 20.xe3 f7 21.d5 d8 21...f8 22.xc7 c5+ 23.xc5 xc7 24.f1+ e7 25.e5+ d6 26.a5 xc6 27.xa4 Black is down too many Ps to have any hope of saving the game. 22.ae1 c5+ Black is out of the pin, but white's position is just crushing. 23.h1 f8 This allows a mate in 4, but the alternative only prolonged the mate. 23...e7 24.xe7 e8 25.xc5 d8 26.d5+ f7 27.xc7 a3 28.bxa3 c8 29.d5 h5 30.c7 h4 31.e7+ g8 32.f6+ f8 33.xh7 h3 34.g5 hxg2+ 35.xg2 a5 36.g8# 24.f6 Black resigned. All in all, black put up a decent fight against his famous opponent. 24.f6 e3 25.5xe3 a5 26.e8+ xe8 27.xe8# 1–0

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1965 Noteboom Memorial

     Daniel Noteboom (February 26, 1910 - January 12, 1932) was a Dutch player gained notice at the 1930 Olympiad at Hamburg where he scored 11.5-3.5. His score included a win over a win over Salo Flohr, who at the time was rapidly gaining recognition as one of the world’s best players. 

     Noteboom was born in Noordwijk and learned to play chess at the age of 12, at 14 won a local tournament in Noordwijk and at the age of 15 he was admitted to the Leiden Chess Society as an exception because at the time chess clubs were generally reserved for adult men with social standing. 

     In the next few years he won the championship of the club three times. Shortly after playing at Hastings 1931/2, he soon died of pneumonia in London. A variation of the Queen’s Gambit is named after him. 

     The 25th Daniel Noteboom Memorial, played in Noordwijk in February saw the return to tournament play of former World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik who, at the “advanced” age of 54 years old, romped through the field. 

     Larsen’s poor performance plus another poor performance at Zagreb was viewed as an indication that he had poor chances in his upcoming Candidates Match against Borislav Ivkov. It wasn’t. He crushed Ivkov by a score of 5.5-2.5.

     In the semi-finals of the Candidates Larsen was edged out by Tahl. The score was tied 4.5-4.5 and Tahl won the final game. 

     The tournament was held from February 21 to 28, 1965, and the notable participants were former world Mikhail Botvinnik, Danish sensation Bent Larsen and Salo Flohr. 

     Jan Hein Donner. Jacob Kort and Carl Van den Berg were the Dutch players. The others were Bulgarian GM Milko Bobotsov and Yugoslav GM Dr. Petar Trifunovic. 

 

     Today’s game features Flohr’s win over Larsen. The latter is well remembered. The “Great Dane” Bent Larsen (1935 - 2010) was known for his imaginative and unorthodox style of play and for being the second strongest non-Soviet player, behind Bobby Fischer, for much of the 1960s and 1970s. 

     Few will remember the Czech and later Soviet player and writer Salo Flohr (1908-1983) November 21, 1908 – July 18, 1983) who dominated many tournaments of the pre-World War II years and by the late 1930s was considered a contender for the World Championship. However, his style became more quiet and positional (i.e. boring) and he became content to draw almost all of his games. 

ChessBase

Salo Flohr–Bent Larsen1–0B39Noteboom Memorial, Noordwijk23.02.1965ShashChess 32

Sicilian: Maroczy Bind 1.f3 g6 2.c4 g7 3.c3 f6 4.e4 c5 5.d4 cxd4 6.xd4 c6 7.e3 g4 8.xg4 xd4 9.d1 e6 10.d2 0-0 11.e2 d6 12.0-0 d7 Worth considering was 13.b4 13.f4 13.fd1 c6 14.f3 a6 15.d5 is equal. Cmilyte,V (2524)-Danielian,E (2476) Beijing 2012 13...c6 14.f3 14.f5 c5 15.f3 a5 16.h6 b6 17.xg7 xg7 is equal. Spassky,B (2655)-Savon,V (2575) Moscow 1973 14...b6 14...a5 is much more promising. 15.d5 xd2 16.xd2 xd5 17.cxd5 d4+ 18.h1 c5 is good for black. 15.b4 White is better here and he also had a promising continuation in 15.f5 15.f5 c5 16.h6 e5 This offer of the exchange is black's best chance. 17.xf8 xf8 18.b4 d7 White can only claim a small advantage owing to the sctivity of black's pieces and his better P-structure. 15...c8 16.ac1 f5 This is risky because it loosens black's position, but Larsen was never afraid of taking a risk. 16...e8 17.fd1 f8 18.a4 b7 position is the more promising. Birnboim,N (2200)-Vilela,J (2260) Graz 1972 17.d5 d7 17...xd5 eliminating the well placed N is not at all good. 18.xd5 This move inflicts a fatal pin on the N. d7 19.c5 c7 19...h8 20.c6 20.cxd6 is decisive. 18.exf5 gxf5 19.fe1 d8 Now comes a huge surprise. White switches his attack to the Q-side. 20.xb6 Surprise! e6 20...axb6 21.xe7 Decisive. The Q is trapped. 21.xb6 is obvious, but black stands well after a7 22.c5 c7 23.d5 b7 21...c7 22.ce1 a7 22...c8 23.xc7 xc7 24.xc7 23.xd7 xd7 24.xb6 White is winning. 21.xd8 fxd8 22.b5 Making room for the N to reposition itself. b7 22...xd5 is slightly better. After 23.cxd5 xc1 24.xc1 e5 25.fxe5 xe5 26.a4 with a favorable endgame. 23.b4 xf3 24.gxf3 In a few moves white will use the open g-file to his advantage. h8 24...d5 counterattacking is a better practical choise, but white still has a much better position. For example... 25.ed1 25.cxd5 xb5 26.xc8 xc8 27.dxe6 c5+ 28.h1 c3 29.g2+ h8 30.d3 c4 31.d1 xe6 Black has nearly equalized. 25...d4 26.d3 b7 27.e2 and white is clearly better. 25.c6 g8 26.h1 a6 27.a4 axb5 28.axb5 d5 White has a dominating position and as before, this move offers black little in the way of compensation. 29.g1 29.cxd5 Unlike in the previous variation this move is bad here because of exd5 30.e5 b7 31.xc8 xc8 32.d3 with a winning ending. 29...f6 30.cxd5 White has a number of playable moves here including 30.Ne5 and 30.Rxg8+ 30.e5 This is probably the best though. b7 31.xg8+ xg8 32.cxd5 h6 33.d4 h7 33...xb5 is tactically faulty. 34.f7+ g7 35.a7 b8 36.g1+ h7 37.g5+ mate next move 34.c5 with a won ending. 30...exd5 31.xg8+ xg8 32.g1 This turns out to be a mistake that allows Larsen to equalize. A rather surprising error from a player of Flohr's level... Chessmetrics estimates his rating in 1966 to have been about 2600 placing him in the world's top 60. Larsen's estimated rating was 2699 placing him at #16. 32.d1 is more precise. e8 33.d4 33.xd5 loses e1+ 33...c7 34.xf5 and white is much better. 32...xg1+ 33.xg1 d4 The d-Pawn makes itself felt! 34.d3 d5 35.f1 g7 36.e5 c5 Even with the reduced material Larsen makes an instructive tactical blunder that loses the game because his K is subjected to a winning attack! 36...xe5 completely equalizes after 37.fxe5 37.xf5 is alosing blunder. xf3+ 38.g1 xf4 39.h3 Black has a won ending. 37...xe5 is a likely draw. 37.c4 A nasty surprise. 37.xf5 xb5+ and it's doubtful white could make any progress. 37...d6 37...xc4+ 38.xc4 f7 39.b6 d8 40.e5+ e6 41.b7 c7 42.c6 d7 43.b8 xb8 44.xb8+ wins 37...a7 keeps the Qs on and gusrds the 7th rank, but white's position is still vastly superior after 38.d5 xe5 38...a1+ 39.g2 b2+ 40.g3 xe5 40...xb5 41.f7+ mates in 2 41.xe5+ g8 42.e6+ and wins 39.xe5+ f7 40.xf5+ 38.f7+ h6 39.g8 Black resigned. The threat of 39.Nf7+ forking the Q and K cannot be met. 39.g8 xe5 39...h5 40.xh7# 40.g5# 1–0

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1958 North Island Championship

     I have never posted much about chess in New Zealand, but then according to the statistics on this blog nobody from there reads it anyway. To be honest, I know of only 2 or 3 of the country’s champions. 

     The capital of New Zealand is Wellington and as the crow flies it’s 8,590 miles away from where I live. Of course, a crow couldn’t fly from here to there, but if they could, they commonly fly only 6 to 12 miles a day as they stop to feed and roost and at that rate, for a crow, a trip to Wellington would take 2-4 years. You can make the trip in an airplane in about 23 hours which is still a long time. 

     Back in 1958 the North Island’s championship was held in New Plymouth, a city on the west coast of North Island. It’s known for its coastal walkway, a park that has botanical gardens and bird life while sub-alpine forests and waterfalls characterize the Egmont National Park to the south. 

     It sounds like a nice place to live. The average temperature for the year is 56.0°F (13.3°C). The warmest month, on average, is February with an average temperature of 63.0°F (17.2°C). The coolest month on average is July, with an average temperature of 49.0°F (9.4°C). The highest recorded temperature in New Plymouth is 86.0°F (30°C), The lowest recorded temperature is 29.0°F (-1.7°C), which was recorded in June. 

     The 1958 North Island Championship was a tie between J.R. Phillips and Ortvin Sarapu with Phillips getting the title on tiebreaks. The two players in this game both met tragic ends. 

     James Rodney Phillips (1942 - September 19, 1969) became the youngest player ever to win New Zealand’s national championship when he captured the title in January 1957 at age 14, a record that stands to this day. 

     He was coached by the Estonian born master Ortvin Sarapu, who spotted his talent at the age of 10. 

     Phillips played in the World Junior Championship in The Hague in 1961 and finished fourth in his preliminary group, thereby missing out on a place in the final group of 12. However he won the reserve group to finish 13th overall. Phillips competed in the 1967 British championship which was won by Jonathan Penrose; Phillips finished in a tie for 10th place out of the 36 competitors with a score of 6-6. 

     He was found drowned in Wellington Harbor on September 19, 1969...suicide was suspected. 

     Roger A. Court was the North Island co-champion in 1956 and 1963. He was New Zealand champion in 1963/64. He won or tied for the NZ Correspondence Championship four times (1958, 1959, 1962 and 1966). Court tragically died of an asthma attack in 1962 at the age of 32. 

ChessBase

Rodney Philips–Roger A. Court1–0C41N. Island Champ, New Plymouth, NZ1958Stockfish 15.1

C41: Philidor Defense 1.e4 e5 2.f3 d6 Today this old defense is known as a solid defense, but it's seldom seen at the top level because not only is it heavily analyzed, but it is too passive. 3.d4 f6 Statistically speaking the much more popular 3...exd4 tends to strongly favor white. 4.c3 4.dxe5 is best met by xe4 4...dxe5 5.xd8+ xd8 6.xe5 and the threat to f7 means white has won a P and has a clear advantage 5.d5 c5 with full equality for black. 4...bd7 5.c4 e7 6.0-0 0-0 7.e2 c6 8.a4 c7 9.h3 h6 10.dxe5 10.a2 a5 11.e3 e8 12.c4 f8 13.fd1 with equal chances. Smejkal,J (2570)-Rukavina,J (2460) Leningrad 1973 10...dxe5 10...xe5 is equally playable. 11.b3 e8 12.d4 f8 13.f4 g6 14.f3 d7 15.e3 ad8 with equal chances. Ginzburg,Y (2356)-Kodinets,K (2409) Internet 2004 11.h4 c5 Ignoring the pin on the f-Pawn is going to cause problems for black as white now concentrates his attention on it. 11...h7 12.f5 c5 13.xe7 xe7 14.f4 e6 15.f5 xc4 16.xc4 a5 17.b4 a6 18.bxa5 b4 19.xb4 xb4 20.a3 Draw agreed. Kurajica,B-Penrose,J Hastings 1966 12.g6 d8 13.f4 White is better. d6 14.f5 Preventing ...Be6 but offering black a chance to get back into the game. 14.e3 is preferred by engines, but threading through a messy tactical situation at the board could prove quite difficult! exf4 15.xf4 e6 16.xe6 xe6 17.xf6 17.xe6 fxe6 18.xh6 h2+ 19.h1 e5 20.g4 g3 20...gxh6 21.xh2 21.d2 is equal. 17...gxf6 18.f1 e5 19.g4+ f8 20.xe6 fxe6 21.e2 with unclear complications. In Shootouts using Stockfish white scored +2 -0 =3, but the endings were long and tricky. 21.xe6 g7 is equal. 14...h7 15.h4 Black has succeeded in forcing back the N and defend his f-Pawn and so he has managed to equalize e7 But this passive defense is unsatisfactory. 15...b5 This strong counterattacking move keeps him in the game. 16.axb5 b7 17.bxc6 xc6 18.d5 ab8 with an equal opportunityy position. 16.f3 b6 Again, too passive. 16...b5 is less good than last move, but it would still give white something to think about. 17.g4 This signals the beginning of a decisive attack. g8 18.h4 d7 Better was 18...Kg8 18...h8 19.g5 b7 19.g2 Not bad, but better and more spectacular was 19.Ng5+! To be fair making all the necessary calculations OTB would not be easy nor practical! 19.g5+ hxg5 20.hxg5 c5+ 21.h1 h6 22.h2 Better than the immediate capture of the N h8 23.gxh6 b7 23...g6 24.fxg6+ fxg6 25.g5 wins...the B is untouchable,,, xg5 26.f7+ g8 27.h7+ xh7 28.xh7# 24.g5 af8 25.g6+ fxg6 26.f3 e8 27.g3 f6 28.g5 ff8 29.d2 f6 30.f1 f8 31.h3 c8 32.hxg7+ xg7 33.xh8 wins e6 34.h6+ f7 35.fxe6+ e8 36.xf6 xe6 37.g7 e7 38.hxf8+ d7 39.xe6 c7 40.xe7# 19...f8 20.g5 h8 21.h2 Black puts up a chivalrous defense, but in the end white's attack is just too strong. h5 22.e2 g6 23.g3 c5+ 24.h1 d4 25.e2 a5 26.b3 b5 27.axb5 cxb5 28.d5 b7 28...xd5 makes things a bit more difficult for white. 29.exd5 d4 30.fxg6 fxg6 30...xa1 31.xf7 31.a2 b4 32.f3 c3 and white still has some work to do. 29.fxg6 xd5 Of course 29...gxg6 first was better...still hopeless, but better. 30.xh5+ g7 31.f5# Philips conducted a nearly flawless attack. 1–0

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A Fun Miniature By Fauber

     The winner of today’s game was Richard E. Fauber (March 22, 1936 – March 2, 2013, 76 years old). Originally from Wisconsin, he was a longtime Sacramento, California master-strength player, director, chess journalist and author who was active primarily during the 1970s and 1980s. 

     He possessed a masters degree in Economic History from the University of California, Berkeley. Although he briefly served as a part-time instructor in the History Dept. at Sacramento State College, he was primarily an investor in the stock market. His area of expertise was puts and calls. If anybody is interested, Motley Fool explains what they are HERE. 

     From 1971 to 1989 he was the chess editor for the Sacramento Bee. He was the author of a book that was published in 1992, Impact of Genius: 500 years of Grandmaster Chess. It’s a biography of the game’s greatest players and how they shaped the of culture in Europe and America. 

     Fauber also enjoyed classical music, the opera literature and he was a wine connoisseur and dog lover. He drove a Porsche. He died of a heart attack on Saturday morning, March 2, 2013.

ChessBase

Richard Fauber–David Oppedal1–0A65Capitol City Open, SacramentoSacramento, CA USA29.12.1991Komodo 14

Modern Benoni 1.d4 f6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 The Modern Benoni is less of a defense and more mof a counterattacking system. 4.c3 exd5 By capturing on d5 black creating a Q-side P-majority. 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6 7.d3 g7 8.ge2 0-0 9.0-0 a6 The idea of this move is to reposition the N on c7 from where it supports the advance of the b-Pawn. 10.h3 c7 11.g3 e8 12.f4 d7 This is inconsistent. 12...b5 is best. The P should not be taken because it would leave white's e-Pawn unguarded. 13.xb5 13.xb5 is much worse because after xb5 14.xb5 xe4 15.xe4 xe4 16.c3 b4 black has a lot of play. 13...xe4 14.xc7 d4+ 15.h2 xg3 16.xe8 xf1+ 17.xf1 xe8 with a slight advantage. 12...b5 13.f3 is the correct reply. After c4 14.c2 b4 15.ce2 a5 Black has the initiative, but white should be able to hold his own. 13.f3 a6 Over-preparing, but noiw the advance of the b-Pawn is not quite as strong as it would have been last move. 13...b5 14.e5 c4 14...dxe5 15.d6 snags a R 15.c2 b7 16.ge4 with the initiative because black is clearly on the defensive. 13...b5 14.xb5 is also now playable. c4 15.xc7 xc7 16.c2 b8 but here, too, white is quite well off. 14.a4 He could also have played 14.e5 immediately. b8 15.e5 dxe5 16.f5 White has the makings of a strong attack mostly because black's has been dawdling on the Q-side. e4 technically the best defense would have been 16...Rf8. Practically black's move is a good choice because rather than hunkering down and trying to defend, he seeks counterplay in the center. 17.xe4 A partial success for black because although white still remains better he misses the best line. 17.gxe4 e5 18.g3 xd5 19.fxg6 hxg6 20.g5 Black has to surrender his Q. d7 20...c7 21.xd5 d7 22.ef6+ 20...xc3 21.ad1 xc3 22.bxc3 b5 23.f6+ xf6 24.xf6 b6 25.xe5 e7 26.c7 White has won a piece. 17...d4+ Oddly, up to here this line was repeated many years later. 17...e5 18.f2 18.d1 f8 19.f4 d6 20.c2 c4 21.fxg6 fxg6 22.xd6 xd6 23.f3 and white went on to win in Barrios,H (2075) -Sanz Alonso,F (2350) Bogota 2014 18...d3 19.c2 xc1 20.axc1 d6 21.a1 d8 22.ac1 d6 Black resigned. Denderski,P (2246)-Cajbel,M (2196) Jastrzebia Gora POL 2022 18.h1 e5 It mat not look like it, but white's position is crushing. 19.f4 b5 This thematic move has come way too late to be of any benefit! 20.h6 The game is over! d6 21.h5 A nice finishing touch. c4 Inviting white to get careless and play 22.f6 21...gxh5 22.f6 Giving up the Q with 22...Qxf6 results in black getting mated in at most 12 moves. 22.fxg6 22.f6 But this merits a string of question marks! f8 and black has equalized! 23.g7 b4 24.xe8 xh6 25.xh6 xe8 26.d1 xf6 and black is even a little better! 22...hxg6 White now has flashy finish that results in a mate in 7! 23.xf7 xf7 23...h2+ prolongs the agony. 24.xh2 e5+ 25.h1 xf7 26.h7+ f8 27.h6+ g7 28.xg7# 24.h7+ Facing mate in 2 black resigned. A powerful game by Fauber. 1–0

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Milner-Barry Wallops Ritson-Morry

 

     Britain declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. On December 9th Corporal Thomas Priday became the first soldier of the British Expeditionary Force killed when he triggered a French land mine. 

     Three days later, on December 12th, an escorting destroyer HMS Duchess, sunk after a collision with battleship HMS Barham in heavy fog with the loss of 124 men. 

     On December 13th the Battle of the River Plate took place between HMS Exeter, HMS Ajax, HMNZS Achilles and the German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee, forcing the latter to be scuttled a few days later. 

     On December 18th, the Battle of the Heligoland Bight took place when the Royal Air Force made a daylight mission to attack German ships in the Heligoland Bight, but they were repulsed by Luftwaffe fighters. 

     Despite the effects of war with its blackouts and rationing there was still considerable chess activity in England. The National Chess Centre was opened in London in December of 1939, albeit on a smaller scale than had originally been hoped for, but it had 360 members. The National Chess Centre's advertisement stated the club had a “Large and well-appointed Air Raid Shelter on the premises." 

     The Centre got off to a good start by staging an invitational tournament in Hampstead that had a good entry. Hampstead is an affluent residential community to the north of London that has meadows and woodlands and has long favored by academics, artists and media figures. 

 

     Not many games from this long forgotten tournament are available, but below is one of them. William Ritson-Morry (September 5, 1910 – January 8, 1994, 83 years old) was British Correspondence Champion in 1942 and was responsible for conceiving the idea of a World Junior Championship. The first such event was held in Birmingham, England in 1951. It was won by Borislav Ivkov of Yugoslavia. 

     Sir Philip Stuart Milner-Barry (September 20, 1906 – March 25, 1995, 88 years old) worked in the British Civil Service and was never able to devote all his time to chess. He was part of the team that worked at Bletchley Park, alongside famed cryptanalyst and mathematician Alan Turing and British players C.H.O’D. Alexander and Harry Golombek cracking the German Enigma codes. After the war he worked for the Treasury and in 1954 he was promoted to Assistant Secretary and then to an under-secretary. 

     The other player who tied for first, Imre Konig (1901-1992, 91 years old) was born in Gyula, then part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. After the First World War he became a Yugoslav citizen. In 1938 he emigrated to England and became a naturalized citizen in 1949. However, in 1953 he moved to the San Francisco area in California. 

     What I like about the following game is the way Milner-Barry ruthlessly mopped up after Ritson-Morry mistakenly opened up the K-side and allowed black’s pieces to invade down the h-file and use the e5 square to penetrate into the guts of white’s position. 

ChessBase

W. Ritson-Morry–P.S. Milner-Barry0–1A00Hampstead Invitational1939Stockfish 15.1

Nimzo-Indian 1.d4 f6 2.c4 e6 3.c3 b4 4.a3 xc3+ 5.bxc3 0-0 6.c2 d6 7.e4 e5 7...c6 8.d3 e5 9.e2 b6 10.0-0 d7 11.f4 f6 favors white. Hirneise,J (2277)-Escalona Landi,S (2218) chess.com INT 2023 8.d3 c5 9.d5 9.e2 c6 10.d5 e7 11.f3 d7 12.h4 b6 13.g4 with good arracking chances. Capablanca,J-Ragozin,V Moscow 1935 9...e8 This serves no real purpose and limits black's prospects. 9...h5 is more active. 10.e2 f6 11.f3 f4 12.xf4 exf4 13.d2 h4+ White is only slightly better. 10.e2 bd7 11.f3 h5 12.e3 f6 13.d2 This prevents ...Nf4 h6 14.g3 After previously preventing it, white now wrongly allows black to play ...Nf4 14.0-0 g5 15.g3 with equal chances. 14...f4 15.xf4 This is wrong because the N gets a good outpost on e5 and black's K-side attacking chances gain momentum. Keep an eye on this e5 square! It's occupation will prove of great importance. White keeps the balance with 15.h4 exf4 16.e2 e5 17.0-0-0 The K heads for the safety of the Q-side...but is it really safe there? 17.xf4 is met by xf4 18.xf4 xd3+ 17...g5 18.h4 g7 19.h2 d7 20.f1 20.dh1 h8 21.b1 Oddly, white cannot afford multiple exchanges by opening the h-file. 21.hxg5 hxg5 22.xh8 xh8 23.xh8 xh8 24.c2 h6 25.e1 a4+ 26.b2 xd3+ wins 21...ag8 After some cat and mouse maneuvering black will find making progress difficult. FOr example... 22.a2 f8 23.b1 b6 24.bh1 g6 25.h5 e5 20...h8 21.g3 This opens up the position and leaves white lost. Shuffling his K with 21.Kb1 and awaiting developments was a reasonable alternative as it would force black to try and figure out a way to break through. fxg3 22.hxg5 22.xg3 wasn't any better. xd3+ 23.xd3 f4+ 24.d2 xg3 25.hxg5 h3 26.gxh6+ xh6 27.ff2 g6 28.b2 h8 29.b3 g1 Black is making inroads into white's position and the result will prove fatal. 30.a4 b1+ 31.b2 31.a3 f1 31...g1 32.xb1 xb1+ 33.c2 e1 34.d2 34.a5 a1 34...a1 etc. 22...hxg5 23.xh8 xh8 White is now totally lost. All that's left is for Milner-Barry to mop up which he does with great efficiency 24.f4 g2 25.d1 f3 26.fxg5 e5 27.e3 g1 28.xg1 xc3+ The arrival of the Q will cause havoc to white's position. 29.b1 b3+ 30.c1 xa3+ 31.b1 b3+ 32.c1 h2 33.e2 a4 34.f1 e5 Black mates. Notice the role e5 has played for the N and the Q. 35.d2 b2+ 36.e1 b4+ White resigned. 36...b4+ 37.c3 xc3+ 38.d2 xd2# 0–1

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Charles H. Stanley, a Player of Renown

     Charles H. Stanley (September 1819 - 1901) was born in Brighton, England and emigrated from London to New York in 1843. He worked in the British Consulate. 

     Stanley can be considered the first US Champion because in 1845 he defeated Eugene Rousseau (1805-1870), a French player living in New Orleans in a match. Rousseau's second was Ernest Morphy, Paul Morphy's uncle. Six year old Paul was present at the match also. Stanley won the match easily and decisively with a +15-8 score. 

     Though the match was considered unofficial, it was no secret it was to determine the best player in America. Stanley was considered the best player in the country until 1857 when he was defeated by Paul Morphy. 

     Stanley had considerable influence on US chess by starting a chess column in the newspaper The Spirit of the Times. He also started the short lived American Chess Magazine in 1846 but it soon folded. In 1846 he published the first US book on a chess match, 31 Games of Chess and in 1855 he organized the first World Problem Tournament. He was also the secretary of the New York Chess Club.

     Against Staunton, Stanley was able to hold his own at "Pawn and 2" odds, beating him in such a match in +3-1 =3 in 1841. In 1850 Stanley drew a match on even terms with Lowenthal (+3 -3) and in 1852 he drew a match, also on even terms, with Saint-Amant (+4 -4). Stanley might have fared much better in those matches, but for one problem: he was an alcoholic. 

     Through this chess column, Stanley met a penniless Hungarian refugee from Hungary named Johann J. Lowenthal (1810-1876) who was known to be a strong player. Lowenthal came to the United States hoping to become a western pioneer, but the elegant and cultured, Lowenthal was hardly the pioneer type. Stanley and others set him up as chess professional in a cigar divan in Cincinnati, Ohio. Later Lowenthal moved to England and became a British citizen. Before he left, he also managed to lose to 12 year old Morphy in New Orleans. 

     By 1857, the year of the First American Chess Congress, Stanley was considered the U . Champion, but by that time he was also quite destitute as a result of his drinking problem. Paul Morphy won the tournament and after the tournament beat Stanley +4-1 in a casual match while giving Stanley the odds of Pawn and move. 

     Morphy, knowing the Stanley family's dire straits, gave his winnings to Mrs. Stanley, claiming he couldn't give it to Charles because "he would have drunk it all up." Mrs. Stanley named her next child Pauline after Paul Morphy. By way of saying thank you, Stanley wrote and published Morphy's Match Games in 1859. 

     In 1859, he also wrote The Chess Player's Instructor which was popular enough to go into a second printing the same year. Then, it was published again in 1880 but under a different title, De Witt's American Chess Manual. 

     In 1860 Stanley returned to England where he edited a chess column in the Manchester Weekly Express and Guardian for two years. He tried to establish a reputation as a player in England, but failed to make any impression in either match or tournament play. Consequently, he returned to America in 1862 and after losing a match to George Mackenzie (+1-2), he retired from chess. 

     From 1880 until he died in 1901, Stanley lived in institutions in the Bronx and on Ward's Island State Emigrant Refuge and Hospital. 

     Ward's Island is located in the East River in New York City. During the Revolutionary War the island served as a military post for the British. In the 1840’s the island had turned into a dumping ground for everything unwanted in New York City. 

     Between 1840 and 1930 the island was used for the burial of hundreds of thousands of bodies relocated from a couple of large city graveyards. It was also used as a hospital for sick and destitute immigrants and was the location of the largest psychiatric institution in the world when it housed 4,400 patients. Today the island serves as home to, among other facilities, a maximum-security facility for the mentally ill. 

 

     The following game from the match against Rousseau, the second game, is amusing. The players engage in a series of captures where each side seems to ignore what the other side is doing. One writer of the times described the game by saying, "Both these gentlemen placed pieces thus gratuitously en prise several times during the match.” 

ChessBase

Charles H. Stanley–Eugene Rousseau1–0C26Match, New Orleans2New Orleans, LA USA01.12.1845Stockfish 15.1

Giuoco Piano 1.e4 e5 2.c4 f6 3.c3 c5 4.f3 d6 5.h3 0-0 6.d3 e6 7.b3 c6 8.e2 White has two other moves that have been played here: 8.Nd5 and 8.Bg5 neither of which offer him any advantage, The text move, the idea of which is to relocate the N in hopes of establishing a K-side attack also seems pretty benign. e7 9.g3 d4 10.xd4 xd4 11.c3 b6 12.0-0 d5 This turns out to loosen up black's position. 12...c6 was solid. 12...c6 13.g5 h6 is completely equal. 13.g5 c6 It's way too late for this. 13...h6 is less effective now that his P is on d5 because after 14.exd5 d7 14...hxg5 15.dxe6 fxe6 16.e2 and black's position is not looking so good. 15.e3 xe3 16.fxe3 White has a favorable position. 13...dxe4 This is the best move because it keeps white's advantage to a minimum. 14.xe4 xb3 15.axb3 e6 16.xf6 gxf6 17.g4+ xg4 18.xf6+ g7 19.xg4 f6 has has a favorable position. 14.h5 This is the key move. It was not possible in other variations previously mentioned, but here it is the move that gives white a decisive advantage. dxe4 15.dxe4 xb3 16.f3 Capturing the B also leaves white with a winning position, but the text is a much more handsome move. 16.axb3 e6 17.xf6 gxf6 18.g4+ as mentioned above. 16...c4 Losing outright. 16...h8 allows black to hold out longer. 17.axb3 e6 18.xf6 gxf6 19.xf6+ xf6 20.xf6 17.xf6 Of course the B can't be taken. e6 17...gxf6 18.g4+ h8 19.g7# 17...xf6 18.xf6+ gxf6 19.fd1 is hopless for black. 18.xg7 White is clearly winning. e2 19.xe6 This is a much harder punch than taking the B. 19.xe2 xf6 20.f5 also wins. 19...xf3 20.xf8 Rousseau resigned. Stanley's execution in the maze of captures was flawless. 1–0

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Grob’s Defense

     Everybody has heard of the Grob Attack, 1.g4!! It’s is widely condemned by the experts, but I have long played it with a modicum of success since way back in the days of chess played by post card. But then I wasn’t playing the “experts” so perhaps that’s why it frequently brought success. 

     On the other side of the board there is the Grob Defense which begins 1.e4 g5, but if the Grob Attack is really bad then it stands to reason that the Grob Defense must be even worse. 

     Sometimes it’s also called the Borg Defense because that’s Grob spelled backwards. It’s also known as the Basman Defense, after British IM Michael Basman. 

     The move weakens the K-side severely, but according to Modern Chess Openings (MCO), black is only somewhat worse. 

     These days whenever I feel like a a couple of quick games Chess Hotel is my site of choice. You can create a free account or you can sign in anonymously as a Guest or you can sign in with a screen name, They have a wide variety of time limits and ratings are meaningless because it gets reset when you sign out, Most of your opponents will not be particularly strong and engine users are pretty rare. On the downside, it’s not unusual for players who get a bad game to simply abandon the game; after they do, you are awarded the win. Also, occasionally there will be a childish opponent who likes to bombard you with profanity and name calling. The funny thing is that when you ignore them it seems to infuriate them even more! 

     The Grob Defense is fun to play and can lead to some unusual positions. If you are interested in playing over some games with the this defense to see some of the possibilities you can refer to Chess Tempo HERE

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ChessBase

Guest–Tartajubow0–1B00Chess Hotel2023Stockfish 15.1

Grob's Defense 1.e4 g5 2.h4 Odd, but not really bad according to the engines! 2.d3 This is not an attempt to refute 1...g5 h6 3.c3 g7 4.g3 d6 5.g2 c5 6.ge2 f6 7.0-0 c6 and the players agreed to a draw in Zelcic,R (2540)-Palac,M (2545) Pula 1998 2.d4 This is the almost universal response because it attacks the g-Pawn. h6 3.h4 g4 4.c3 d6 5.e3 g7 6.d2 c6 7.0-0-0 b5 8.f3 h5 White is better, but eventually lety his advantage slip away and lost. Sadhwani,R (2611)-Nakamura,H (2768) chess.com INT 2022 2...gxh4 2...g4 3.xg4 d5 4.d1 dxe4 5.c3 f6 6.d3 exd3 7.xd3 c6 8.g5 g7 with equl chances. Narayanan,S (2669)-Vovk,O (2315) chess. com INT 2023 3.f4 This looks to be a P move on the wrong side of the e-Pawn...it slightly weakens the K's position. Better was 3.d4 3.d4 d5 4.exd5 g7 5.c3 f6 6.c4 is the engine's way and white is clearly better. 3...c6 4.f3 4.c3 Hinders black's nerxt move and so it is just a bit better. h5 5.f3 f6 6.e5 g4 7.d4 d5 is quite interesting and the chances are about equal. 4...d5 Sooner or later black must make a jab at the center. 5.exd5 5.e5 does not work out so well after g4 6.d4 e6 and black can claim a slight advantage. 5.c3 and black can polay either 5...d4 or... dxe4 6.xe4 f6 A move only an engine could love because after 7.xf6+ exf6 8.b5 d6 9.e2+ e7 Stockfish evalautes the position as just slightly in black's favor. On the other hand, Komodo 14 thinks the position is equal. 5...xd5 6.c3 e6+ Questionable as it badly hinders black's development. Better was 6...Qa5 with equal chances. 7.e2 After this black gets the advantage. 7.e2 remains equal. g6 7...xe2+ 8.xe2 d7 9.xh4 0-0-0 is also equal. 8.xh4 f6 9.d4 g3+ 10.f2 is just one example line. There are many other reasonable possibilities. 7...g4 Attacking g2, but 7...Qg6 does the same thing plus it also puts pressure on c2. 8.0-0 Placing his K opposite the black Q is a mistake. Best was 8.Kf1 8.f1 f6 9.xh4 g6 10.e5 10.b5 g8 11.h2 d8 black is slightly better. 10...xe5 11.fxe5 f5+ 12.f3 xe5 An unusuak position to be sure, but thelchances are about equal. 8...h3 8...xf4 allows white to gain the upper hand after 9.d4 g3 10.e4 9.f2 xf4 This was wrong last move and it's wrong this move! 9...f6 and all is fine. 10.d4 g3 Black has good chances against white's weakened King 's position. 10.d4 With this move white gains time to complete his development. g3 11.d5 11.e4 was even better because after g6 12.fg5 the attack on f7 gives white the advantage. 11...e5 A serious tactical error! 11...f6 12.b5 nearly equalizes. 12.dxc6 g4 13.e4 h2+ 14.h1 xf2+ 15.xf2 xf2 and black has the advantage. 12...a6 13.dxc6 axb5 14.d4 g7 15.f4 g6 16.e5 h5 A complicated position, but with correct play black should prove to have the better of things. 12.dxc6 Obvious and wrong! 12.e4 is the narrow road to win. g7 13.dxc6 Black does not have sufficient compensation for the piece. Just a sample line... bxc6 14.fg5 h6 15.f6+ e7 16.ge4 f5 17.g5 and white is winning. 12...c5 Thanks to having this move available black is able to maintain the advantage. This move was the idea behind 11...e5 13.f1 Now, if white could just get in Nd5 he might have something. hxg2 This lets white off the hook! 13...f6 Keeps the pressure on white and brings up the reserves. 14.b5 b6 15.e2 g4 16.xe5 hxg2 17.xg4 gxf1+ 18.xf1 xg4 with the advantage. 14.xg2 This loses quickly. 14.e1 f6 This move adding the N to the attack is probably black's best option. 14...xf2+ 15.xf2 xf2+ 16.xf2 f6 17.cxb7 xb7 18.b5+ A highly unbalanced material situation has resulted (B+N vs. R+3Ps), but the outcome sould be far from clear. In Shootouts white scored +1 -0 =4 15.b5 g4 16.e3 xe3 17.xe3 b6 18.e2 Materially white has a N vs. 3Ps and the chances are about equal. In Shootouts 5 games were drawn. 14...xf2+ 15.f1 White was almost out of time. 15.h1 was only marginally better. bxc6 16.e4 xg2+ 17.xg2 b6 18.xe5 e6 19.c4 19.xc6 d5 19...0-0-0 Black's material advantage is sufficient to score the point. 15...h3 White resigned. 0–1

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1924 Western Championship

     A dollar in 1924 was worth $17.25 today. A gallon of milk cost 28 cents which amounts to $4.84 today, not a great difference. Cars are a different matter though. In 1924, a car cost $109 to $264 which amounts to about $1,900 to $4,600 today, but of course today’s cars are a lot more reliable and have a lot more bells and whistles. 

     In 1924, J. Edgar Hoover was appointed as the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a job he held for 37 years until his death in 1972. 

     In an historical first, President Jimmy Carter was born at the Wise Clinic in Plains, Georgia on October 1, 1924. That made him the first president to be born in a hospital. 

     Philip Morris of cigarette fame died back in 1873, but his widow and his brother continued the business and the Marlboro brand was launched in 1924 as a woman’s cigarette. 

     Marketing for the new brand had a red filter that promised to deliver a smooth smoking experience while hiding lipstick stains. The slogan Mild as May was adopted and actress Mae West was featured in the commercials. 

Marlboro Man in 1958

     It wasn’t until 1954 that Marlboro became a man’s cigarette and featured the cowboy character, the Marlboro Man. The real Marlboro man was Darrell Winfield, who modeled for the brand from 1968 to 1989. Prior to him there were dozens of Marlboro men, typically actors and professional models, but Winfield was the real deal… a cowboy who continued working on ranches even after becoming the Marlboro Man. Winfield died in Riverton, Wyoming, on January 12, 2015, at the age of 85. That same year he was inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame. 

     The 25th Western Championship was held in Detroit, Michigan from August 23rd to September 2nd, 1924. A 19-year old Mexican by name name of Carlos Torre Repetto swept through the tournament undefeated and ended up with a 2.5 points lead over the field. 

 

     The race was for second place and it was an exciting one! Going into the last round Samuel Reshevsky had 11.0 points while Norman T. Whitaker, Samuel Factor and Harold Hahlbohm had 10.5. 

     In the last round Hahlbohm won on a forfeit over Goerlich, Factor defeated Kalman Erdeky and Reshevsky lost to Whitaker. 

     After the dust settled, Factor, Hahlbohm and Whitaker tied for second. Just a half-point behind was 12-year-old Reshevsky. 

     Two players withdrew. Lewis J. Isaacs played four games before withdrawing due to illness. He lost to Mlotkowski, Margolis,Banks and Palmer and his score was canceled. On the other hand, Robert Goerlich lost to Factor, Whitaker, Erdecky, Reshevsky and Ruth, but his remaining games were scored as wins for his opponents. There is no known explanation for the reason why Ruth’s name was removed from the crosstable, but Goerlich is shown as having lost all 16 games.

     Starting in round 5 after Isaacs’s withdrawal Jenkines, Spero, Torre , Winter, Scrivener, Stolzenberg, Hahlbohm, Reshevsky, Factor, Whitaker, Erdeky and Ruth all received byes. 

     In the following game, in a routine position, Reshevsky makes a routine move (12...Re8) and immediately comes under a vicious attack on that vulnerable square everybody knows to keep an eye on, f7. 

ChessBase

Samuel D Factor–Samuel Reshevsky1–0D46Western Championship, Detroit31.08.1924Stockfish 15.1

Semi-Slav 1.d4 d5 2.f3 f6 3.c4 e6 4.c3 c6 5.e3 bd7 6.d3 e7 7.0-0 0-0 8.c2 dxc4 9.xc4 c7 Better was 9...c5 10.d2 10.h3 e5 11.e4 exd4 12.xd4 e5 13.e2 g6 14.d1 with equal chances. Portisch,F (2400) -Vuckovic,A (2345) Neuwied 1993 10.e2 e5 11.e4 exd4 12.xd4 c5 13.h3 also equals. Gavilan Diaz,M (2280)-Garcia Rodriguez,V (2090) Malaga 2009 10.e4 This move has not been played before, but it's worth investigating. e5 11.h3 exd4 12.b5 b8 12...cxb5 13.xf7+ wins the Q 13.bxd4 10...e5 In this position back has played 10...Rd8 and 10...h6, oth of which result in no more that equality. Reshevsky's move is hardly bad, but a better way of counterattacking in the center would have been 10...c5 10...c5 11.d5 exd5 12.xd5 xd5 13.xd5 f6 Black has fully equalized. 11.ac1 11.dxe5 allows black easy equality after xe5 12.xe5 xe5 13.e2 f5 11...d6 Black has a potential threat against the h-Pawn. 12.h3 This sets a nifty trap into which the young Reshevsky falls. 12.dxe5 is a different story this time because now it's white who benefits from the exchange on e5. xe5 13.xe5 xe5 14.f4 d6 15.h3 e6 16.d3 ad8 17.e4 and white has an aggressive position. 12...e8 This exposes f7 to attack and results in the quick collapse of black's position. 12...exd4 is obvious and allows white only a nominal advantage after 13.exd4 b6 13.g5 e7 13...f8 14.xf7+ xf7 15.b3 c5 15...b6 16.b5 e7 17.xd6 xd6 18.xf7+ wins 16.dxc5 f8 17.a4 White is winning. 14.b3 14.xf7+ as in the previous note also wins... xf7 15.b3 c5 16.dxc5 f8 17.a4 is hopeless for black. 14...b6 As in the previous otes relatively best, but still totally insufficient is 14...Nc5 15.xf7+ f8 16.ce4 c7 17.b4 Black could safely resign. d8 18.d6 18.xe7+ leads to a forced mate after xe7 18...xe7 19.e6+ f8 20.xh7+ xh7 21.e8# 19.e6+ xf7 20.6g5+ g6 21.f7+ h6 22.e6 f8 23.g4 xg4 24.hxg4 g6 25.4g5 e7 26.xh7# 18...c5 As good a move as any. 19.dxc5 c6 20.e6+ xe6 21.xe6 e4 22.xd7 Black finally resigned. The threat is Qf7# and preventing it will cost gobs of material 22.xd7 xd6 23.xc8 What a great move! 23.cxd6 xd7 wins of course, but it's not as eloquent. 23...d5 24.c6+ f7 25.xd5+ xd5 26.cxb7 b8 27.d6 xb7 28.xb7 Black is two Rs down. 1–0

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